Student Success | Student Well-Being | Leadership & Capacity Building | Coherent & Effective Systems | Family & Community Partnerships

EL Student Access

Related key findings from the 2022 EL data synthesis:

• ELs in APS who are reclassified as English proficient have similar course-taking opportunities and similarly strong academic performance relative to students who were never identified for EL 1
• Conversely, students who are currently classified as ELs have less access to advanced coursework and weaker academic performance than their never-EL peers.
• Across nearly all grades, students spend the most time at an intermediate level of English language proficiency, specifically Level 3: Developing.

1 Consistent with standard APS reporting practices, “reclassified” ELs are those who are no longer identified with any English language proficiency level, having been at Level 6 for 4 years of monitoring

Goal 1: Ensure ELs receive high-quality instruction in English language development that spans general-education and content-area classes and that:

• Integrates the four domains of language (i.e., listening, speaking, reading, writing);
• leverages and builds on ELs’ home language as a resource; and
• responds to EL student characteristics (e.g., grade level, language background, prior educational experiences).

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
1.1 Develop and share a scope and sequence for English language development courses that is aligned with existing English language arts (ELA) programming.	OEL English Language Arts
1.2 Integrate language-focused supports in curriculum documents and materials in content areas district wide. Encourage integration of the four domains of language across all instruction for ELs daily.	Office of Academics & Instruction-content leadership OEL
1.3 Expand the use of EL- and language-development-focused classroom observation tools.	School-Based Leadership School-Based Teaching Staff
1.4 Provide teachers with professional learning on instructional strategies that encourage students to use their full linguistic repertoire, including their home language, in the learning process.	OEL
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) District-supplied classroom observation protocols that include a focus on the four domains of language (i.e., listening, speaking, reading, and writing) are used in 90% of schools with an EL population of 5% or more. 100% of ELs at levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 receive instruction that integrates the four domains of language. 100% of schools report consistent and intentional use of formative assessments to understand EL student skills, in each lesson. 85% of teachers report that they are satisfied with new scope and sequence documents and curriculum documents and materials.

Goal 2: Leverage the Dual Language Immersion programs as a resource for supporting Spanish-speaking ELs’ linguistic and academic growth.

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
2.1 Build awareness of Dual Language Immersion opportunities among preschool families.	School-Based Leadership Counselors OEL School-Based Teaching Staff Family and Community Engagement (FACE) School and Community Relations
2.2 Target outreach and communication related to the Dual Language Immersion programs in high-EL communities.	School-Based Leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff Bilingual Family Specialists OEL Family and Community Engagement (FACE) School and Community Relations
2.3 Build staff awareness of the benefits of Dual Language Immersion instruction for ELs.	OEL School-Based Leadership Counselors
2.4 Enhance systems to ensure robust support for ELs in Dual Language Immersion programs.	OEL Dual-Language Immersion Program School-Based Leadership Counselors
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Total enrollment in Dual Language Immersion programs district wide reaches 50% ELs/former ELs. Kindergarten enrollment in Dual Language Immersion programs reaches 50% ELs/50% initially fluent English-proficient students/students with English as their primary home language, consistent with district guidance documents (the World Languages Program Evaluation).

Goal 3: Increase ELs’ access to rigorous content and provide instructional support for their participation and achievement in coursework.

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
3.1 Develop and implement program placement guidance that maximizes EL participation in rigorous grade-level content classes (credit bearing for secondary) and ensure that the relevant instructional support is provided to help students succeed.	OEL Office of Academics & Instruction-Content Leadership School-Based Leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff
3.2 Develop and implement program-placement guidance and encourage support for secondary EL participation and success in advanced coursework (e.g., Advanced Placement [AP], International Baccalaureate [IB], dual enrollment).	OEL Office of Academics & Instruction-Content Leadership School-Based Leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff
3.3 Increase access for ELs to Career and Technical Education programs.	Career and Technical Education Counselors OEL
3.4 Implement co-teaching (see strategies 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3), including shared planning time for EL teachers and content and/or general-education teachers.	OEL Office of Academics & Instruction-Content Leadership School-Based Leadership Counselors School-based teaching staff
3.5 Provide outreach to family and community members on the course selection process and the wide range of instructional opportunities available to ELs.	OEL School-Based Leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff Welcome Center
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) At least 5% of high school ELs’ courses are AP or IB (compare with 9% of students district wide). 100% of ELs enrolled in all courses, including advanced courses, pass those courses. Rate of Advanced Studies Diploma for ELs increases by 10% (in 2022, the rate was 46% for ELs compared with 65% for all students; correspondingly expect Standard Diploma rates to decrease by 10%). The percentage of ELs at levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 who are enrolled in cotaught content classes increases by 50%.

Goal 4: Implement regular EL-student-performance monitoring through a process that uses formative and summative assessments to identify and take steps related to language development and academic achievement.

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
4.1 Identify and provide training on use of relevant EL formative assessments district wide, including some assessments in students’ home languages.	OEL Office of Academics & Instruction-Content Leadership School-Based Teaching Staff
4.2 Regularly collect EL student data and provide data to teachers and site administrators in a user-friendly format. Formative assessment should align with academic development and English language proficiency standards.	OEL School-Based Leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff
4.3 Offer training and guidance on understanding, analyzing, and interpreting EL student data to understand EL language and content skills, including use of assessments in the home language.	OEL School-Based Leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff
4.4 Meet regularly to examine EL student data to identify individual needs and program- or school-wide trends.	School-Based Leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff, Including Reading Specialists & Math Coaches
4.5 Develop and implement action steps and monitor progress for both individual students and the program/school level.	OEL School-Based Leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff, Including Reading Specialists
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 20% or fewer elementary ELs remain at the same proficiency level over a two-year period. 35% or fewer secondary ELs remain at the same proficiency level over a two-year period. 85% of ELs identified in kindergarten achieve an English proficiency level of Level 6: Reaching by middle school. OEL offers training twice per year focused on understanding ELs’ language development within progress monitoring activities. School-based leadership and teaching staff include a focus on EL language development in progress monitoring data collection and data analysis meetings.

Across the district, ELs at English language proficiency (ELP) Levels 1 through 4 score proficient or advanced on Virginia SOLs at the following rates:

	Subject	ELP Level 1	ELP Level 2	ELP Level 3	ELP Level 4
	Reading	15%	25%	50%	65%
	Writing	15%	15%	30%	50%
	Math	35%	40%	50%	65%
	Science	15%	25%	30%	40%
	Social Studies	25%	25%	35%	45%

Rates were established with reference to EL SOL pass rates in 2021-22.

Goal 5: Implement the use of valid assessment practices to identify ELs with disabilities. Ensure that ELs who are dually identified receive instruction and supports that simultaneously support language development and the functional and academic needs related to the disability.

Strategies	Who is involved/responsible
5.1 Develop and implement a framework for identifying appropriate instruction and supports for ELs with disabilities that provides guidance for individualized education programs (IEPs).	OEL Office of Special Education School-Based Leadership School-Based Teaching Staff
5.2 Collect and disseminate a list of appropriate data to be collected so that multiple sources of data relevant to ELs and students with disabilities are examined for use in the Arlington Tiered Systems of Support (ATSS) process and for use in the identification process for special education .	OEL Office of Special Education School-Based Leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff
5.3 Inform parents in a culturally and linguistically responsive manner about the identification process for special education and the services that are provided for both special education and English language development.	Office of Special Education Bilingual Family Specialists OEL
5.4 Recruit, develop, and retain teachers who are dually certified and trained in special education and English language development.	OEL Office of Special Education Human Resources
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 100% of final IEPs will get translated into the parents’ preferred language if requested before they sign. 100% of special education teachers will report that they collaborate with the EL teacher for students’ IEP and language acquisition needs at least one per quarter. 100% of school psychologists receive training on assessing EL students (note that at the preschool level this may also involve assessing students with a home language other than English who have not yet been identified as EL). 100% of district EL specialists and EL teachers receive training on identification and appropriate interventions for ELs experiencing learning difficulties. The rate of dually identified students whose schedules reflect EL and special education support are 100%. The number of teachers in the district certified to teach both ELs and students with disabilities increases by 50%.

EL Student Well-Being

Related key findings from 2022 EL data synthesis:

• ELs in APS who are reclassified as English proficient have similar course-taking opportunities and similarly strong academic performance compared to students who were never identified for EL
• The EL identification process is inconsistent, and that inconsistency may have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Parents and families of ELs in APS report having an incomplete understanding of the services and supports their child receives for English language development, and they are eager for more depth of information across the board.

Goal 6: Ensure ELs have a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment that honors the cultural and linguistic assets they bring to the classroom and school.

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
6.1 Identify and select culturally and linguistically responsive social, emotional, and mental health screening tools and assessments.	Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Counselors & Psychologists Special Services ATSS Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialist
6.2 Implement culturally and linguistically responsive social, emotional, and mental health screening tools and assessments to adequately identify EL needs.	School-Based Leadership ATSS Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialist Counselors & Psychologists
6.3 Integrate district-wide EL-specific focus and/or differentiated supports for ELs in the SEL curriculum, with the support of experts in EL instruction.	School-Based Leadership ATSS Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialist Counselors & Psychologists
6.4 Implement system-wide practices and strategies to learn about student and family language, culture, home, and community, and find ways to connect those experiences to students in the classroom.	School-Based Leadership Counselors & Psychologists Bilingual Family Specialists School-Based Teaching Staff
6.5 Select and use materials that are culturally and linguistically responsive in which the cultural and linguistic groups of the district community are represented.	School-Based Teaching Staff
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 75% of EL student respondents on the Your Voice Matters survey report favorable perceptions of social, emotional, and mental health supports provided by their school/district. OEL offers ready-to-use EL-focused SEL curricular enhancements or supports; 90% of schools access these resources.

Goal 7: Increase EL student opportunities to participate in academic and nonacademic programs with both ELs and non-ELs throughout the day.

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
7.1 Develop course placement guidance that maximizes ELs’ opportunities to interact with non-ELs across content and elective coursework.	OEL Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Directors of Counseling Office of Special Education
7.2 Implement course placement guidance that increases number of co-taught classes, thus opening opportunities for ELs to interact with non-EL peers.	School-Based Leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff Office of Special Education
7.3 Ensure that master scheduling maximizes EL opportunities for participation in academic and extracurricular activities.	School-Based Leadership
7.4 Provide culturally and linguistically responsive communication about extracurricular opportunities to ELs and their families.	School-Based Leadership School-Based Teaching Staff Bilingual Family Specialists
7.5 Ensure that APS-sponsored extracurricular opportunities are welcoming and supportive of EL participation.	School-Based Leadership School-Based Teaching Staff Counselors
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 75% of general education and special education teachers report collaborating with an EL teacher at least once a month (compared with 53% on the staff survey conducted as part of the strategic plan project), provided they teach at least one EL that school year. 25% of general education teachers report adding co-teaching with an EL teacher as an instructional approach. 75% of EL student respondents on the Your Voice Matters survey report having had authentic opportunities to interact with peers who have a different home language from their own, including English.

Leadership and Capacity Building

Related key findings from 2022 EL data synthesis:

• While APS can leverage many staff with specific EL qualifications and expertise, there is not yet a universal shared sense that ELs are the responsibility of all staff.
• EL-focused professional development is well received by teachers yet could be expanded and prioritized to address district-wide capacity to serve ELs.

Goal 8: Ensure district and school leaders set clear goals and foster a shared sense of responsibility for ELs’ academic success.

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
8.1 Commit to prioritizing language development in school-wide goals and related action plans.	School-Based Leadership School-Based Teaching Staff Office of School Support
8.2 Operationalize Performance Standard 6: Culturally Responsive Teaching and Equitable Practices to focus on the specific responsibilities of EL teachers as well as the activities to be implemented by all staff for EL student language development.	Office of Academics OEL
8.3 Foster collaboration across content area teachers and EL teachers to adapt district curriculum and content area assessments for various language levels.	Office of Academics OEL
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) School plans include integration of language-focused goals and steps in 90% of schools serving a school population with at least 5% ELs. 90% of school leaders of schools serving at least 5% ELs report incorporating EL-specific criteria in their teacher-evaluation metrics. 100% of ELA lessons are reviewed by an EL specialist and have EL specific scaffolds made available for implementing teachers.

Goal 9: In staffing and master-schedule-development decisions, ensure district and school leaders prioritize EL access to rigorous content and instruction from prepared educators.

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
9.1 Refine staffing formula to ensure equity and adequacy of staff for serving ELs.	Finance Department Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Human Resources Office of English Learners
9.2 Prioritize EL teacher staffing in master schedule development and increase access to common planning time for ELs with general education/content teachers.	School-based leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff Office of Special Education
9.3 Elevate EL educators’ expertise by involving EL educators in planning, coaching, and collaborative conversations about instruction for ELs.	School-Based Leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 75% of schools’ master schedules include at least one block of common planning time between EL teachers and general education or special education teachers. 90% of schools access OEL-provided resources related to expanding the reach of EL teachers in their building.

Goal 10: Articulate and provide a recommended sequence of professional development (PD) about serving ELs system wide that includes leadership, educators, and support staff. Ensure that professional learning for ELs is research-based, collaborative, clearly related to practice, and sustained.

Strategies	Who is involved/responsible
10.1 Provide EL-focused PD for all instructional and leadership staff, including differentiated topics for relevant audiences (e.g., use of home language, dually identified ELs, gifted ELs, ELs in CTE, and newcomer ELs).	OEL Office of Academics and Instruction-Content Leadership School-Based Leadership
10.2 Provide ongoing coaching support for implementation of best practices for ELs.	OEL School-Based Teaching & Coaching Staff School-Based Leadership
10.3 Evaluate PD and training effectiveness via an end-of-PD survey. Provide additional support/training based on the results of surveys.	OEL Professional Learning Office School-Based Leadership
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 85% of teachers and staff participate in professional learning focused on serving ELs at least once per year, including assistants, administrators, math coaches, reading specialists, resources teachers for the gifted, equity and excellence coordinators, and central office-based employees who support content teachers. 90% of literacy coaches participate in ongoing professional learning about integrating evidence- based literacy practices for ELs into instruction across content areas.

Coherent and Effective Systems

Related key findings from 2022 EL data synthesis:

• The EL identification process is inconsistent, and that inconsistency may have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• OEL offers guidance for program models intended to leverage staffing to serve ELs, but site-based implementation varies.

Goal 11: Improve the coherence and consistency of the EL identification and program placement process.

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
11.1 Consolidate the EL identification process into one entity with adequate training and resources.	OEL Office of School Support Welcome Center
11.2 Adopt consistent measures (within grade span) of initial English proficiency and ensure fidelity of assessment administration at intake.	OEL Office of School Support Welcome Center
11.3 Provide culturally responsive outreach to family and community members to build awareness of the identification and placement process.	Welcome Center Office of School Support School-Based Leadership Counselors Bilingual Family Specialists
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 100% of students who have a home language other than English are assessed with the same WIDA assessment. Welcome Center and OEL publish updated guidance on the identification process. 100% of staff responsible for EL registration/identification participate in training to implement a single, updated identification process. 75% of families with a child newly identified as an EL agree that they are satisfied with the registration process.

Goal 12: Ensure that EL program models are identified, selected, and implemented based on research and their appropriateness to the student population.

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
12.1 Develop evidence-based guidance on program models for serving ELs in English language development and content.	OEL
12.2 Collaborate to implement guidance while considering site-based factors such as staffing, student demographics, and available resources.	Human Resources School-based leadership Counselors School-Based Teaching Staff
12.3 Enhance processes that monitor and evaluate implementation of program models across the district to ensure consistency and fidelity.	OEL School-Based Leadership Coaching Staff
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 100% of schools report having critically evaluated their building’s EL program model (via principals, assistant principals, teacher leaders, etc.). A process to monitor and evaluate fidelity of program model implementation is developed and implemented by OEL.

Goal 13: Ensure that EL staffing recommendations and implementation are equitable and that they maximize internal resources.

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
13.1 Develop guidance for EL staffing formulas that integrates research evidence with local considerations and that includes all EL teacher roles and other EL staffing roles (e.g., bilingual family specialists, EL counselors, paraprofessionals).	OEL Human Resources Office of School Support
13.2 Collaborate on implementation of EL staffing formulas in coordination with program models.	School-Based Leadership
13.3 Provide training and mentorship support for EL teachers who have obtained certification by passing the Praxis.	OEL School-Based Leadership
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 100% of EL teachers who obtain certification via passing the Praxis alone participate in additional training and mentorship.

Family and Community Partnerships

Related key findings from 2022 EL data synthesis:

• Schools use a range of communication modes to engage and communicate with families of ELs, although sometimes information may be difficult for families to access.
• Bilingual family specialists play an integral role in sharing information and connecting families to their child’s school, but there may be a missed opportunity for them to have a district-wide
• Parents and families of ELs in APS report having an incomplete understanding of the services and supports their child receives for English language development, and they are eager for more depth of information across the board.
• Parents want more guidance and support so that they themselves can help their child master academic content.

Goal 14: Increase parents’ and families’ understanding of EL identification, services, and program options as well as parent and family understandings of special-education identification, evaluation process, and services (when relevant).

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
14.1 Provide an orientation program (offered in the district’s top languages) upon entry and at key time points for parents of ELs to share information about EL identification, instructional services, interpretation services, program models, and parent choices as well as an overview of special education and gifted/talented identification and services.	LSRC Bilingual Family Specialists OEL Office of Special Education Gifted Services Family and Community Engagement (FACE)
14.2 Coordinate with community partners to provide and disseminate information about EL services, programs, and choices.	LSRC Bilingual Family Specialists OEL•       School-based leadership•      Family and Community Engagement
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 100% of EL placement decisions are communicated to families in a language they understand within 30 days of the decision. 60% of families of ELs new to the district attend EL program orientation. OEL engages with 10 community organizations to facilitate outreach and communication to families. 100% of families whose child requires special education services receive interpretation and translation services as needed throughout the identification and evaluation process.

Goal 15: Improve the ways in which schools engage with families in culturally and linguistically responsive ways to share information, gather input, and involve them in their child’s education.

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
15.1 Provide tools, resources, and guides to teachers to support their ability to communicate learning goals, classroom activities, and ways for parents to be involved in a manner that is accessible for EL parents and families.	School and Community Relations OEL Welcome Center School-Based Leadership School-Based Teaching Staff Bilingual Family Specialists
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) All school communications sent home to parents are translated into the top five languages spoken by ELs’families. On the Your Voice Matters survey, 75% of families report feeling their culture is reflected and respected intheir child’s school.

Goal 16: Leverage community partners and their positions within the local EL community to understand and communicate with EL families.

Strategies	Who is Involved/Responsible
16.1 Engage community partners to undertake specific outreach activities for engaging families.	OEL School and Community Relations Family and Community Engagement (FACE)
16.2 Establish regular touchpoints between district staff (e.g., bilingual family specialists) and community partners.	Bilingual Family Specialists School-Based Leadership School-Based Teaching Staff Community Partners School and Community Relations Family and Community Engagement (FACE) OEL
16.3 Partner with community organizations to conduct formal and informal needs sensing with members of the APS EL community.	OEL Bilingual Family Specialists Superintendent’s Advisory Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Student Concerns (SACIRSC) School and Community Relations Family and Community Engagement (FACE)
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) APS encourages community partners to connect 4 times annually with district staff. APS encourages community partners to hold 2 outreach activities per semester for families. APS encourages community partners conduct one needs-sensing activity per year (e.g., surveys, community meetings) and relay findings to OEL.

 

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For additional information or questions, please contact the Office of English Learners at 703-228-6095 or engage@apsva.us.